4. Shiro

    A long time ago, there lived a poor but honest man, and his wife.  They had a little white dog called Shiro, whom they loved very much.  One day the old man was working in his garden, digging up the ground to plant vegetables, when Shiro began to bark and to dig at the ground.  Thinking that he might have found a bone, the kind old man stopped working; and taking his spade, he dug at the spot where Shiro was barking.  To his surprise his spade hit something hard, that sounded like metal.  He dug again and uncovered a heap of gold coins.

  The old man could hardly believe his good luck.  His hands shaking with excitement, he collected the coins together, and took them into the house to show his wife.  How happy the kind old couple were.  They had enough money now to buy rice both for the winter, and to give away to their friends.

    In the next house lived a cruel and greedy man.  When he heard the story of the coins that Shiro had found, he was very angry.

    "Why should my neighbors have all the luck." he moaned.  "It's not fair.  I'll get their nasty little dog to find some coins for me!"

    So the evil man went to his good neighbor and asked to borrow Shiro.

    "For he is such a good and clever little dog, I should like him to look for coins in my garden.  I'm sure that he will find some for me." he said.

    The old man was surprised at the suggestion, because his neighbor did not like animals, and had often thrown stones at Shiro in the past.  However, he wanted to help, so he agreed to let Shiro go.

    The little dog did not want to leave his kind owner, especially when the greedy man gave him a kick, but he began to smell around the garden as he was told.  For a long time the little dog found nothing and then, just as the evil man felt he could wait no longer, he began to bark and dig at the ground.  at once, the greedy man pushed him away, and started to dig himself.  However, instead of coins, all he found in the hole was a load of rubbish.  Losing his temper completely, he beat the little dog with his spade, until he was dead.

    After a while, the good old man began to worry about his dog, as he did not come home again.  He went to his neighbor, and asked where Shiro was.  The evil man replied that the dog was stupid and useless.  "He was no good to anyone." he said.  "I killed him with my spade.  If you want his body, I buried it under that pine over there."  And he went into his house again and shut the door.

    The kind old man and his wife were very sad at the death of their little dog.  They blamed themselves, for letting him go to their evil neighbor.  They put flowers on the spot where Shiro was buried, and cried over him.

    That night, when the good old man was asleep, he had a dream.  In his dream, Shiro appeared and said, "Cut down the tree under which I am buried.  Then make a mortar from the tree, and use it to grind your rice."

    The next day the old man told his wife of his dream, and they decided to do as Shiro had said.  "For," the old woman said, "he was no ordinary dog.  I believe that you should make the mortar, husband."

    The old man did as Shiro had said.  He cut down the pine tree, and made a mortar from the wood.  Then he started to grind his rice.  As he did so, every piece of rice changed into a gold coin.

    When his evil neighbor heard of this, he was even angrier than before.  He went to his neighbor, and asked very nicely if he could borrow the mortar.  The good old couple kindly agreed to lend it.

    "He may be an evil man but we should try to help him if we can." the old man said to his wife.  If we show him kindness he may change his bad ways."

    When the bad man reached home with the mortar, he at once began to grind his rice, but, instead of gold, it changed to dust.  With an angry shout he threw the mortar onto the fire, and burnt it.

    That night, the old man again dreamed of Shiro.  This time, the little dog told him what had happened to the mortar.

    "Fetch some of the ash from the fire." he said. "If you throw it upon the trees, they will blossom at once, even though it is now winter."

    The next morning, the old man went to his neighbor's house, and asked for some of the ash from the fire.  Then he took it home, and threw a little on the cherry trees in his garden.  To his surprise, they suddenly became covered in blossom-- a beautiful sight.  Happily he ran through the village, throwing ash on all the trees, and calling his friends out to see the blossom appearing on the trees.

    So pleased was the old man with the effect of the ashes from Shiro's mortar, that he began to go around the country, making all the trees blossom.  At last, the Lord of that part of Japan heard of the old man who could make the trees blossom.  He sent for him, to throw ash onto his favorite cherry tree, and was very pleased to see it covered in beautiful sweet smelling blossom.  He praised the old man, and gave him many gifts.

    When the evil neighbor heard of this, he, too, took some of the ash from the mortar and went to see the Lord.

    "Look, my Lord." he cried.  "The trees will be covered in blossom"

    He threw the ash over a peach tree, but not a single blossom appeared.  Instead, the wind blew the ash into the Lord's eyes and mouth, and he was very angry.  The evil man was beaten by the Lord's soldiers, until he bowed down to the ground and asked to be forgiven for his crimes.

    He went home a changed man, and when the good old man and his wife saw that he was truly sorry for what he had done, they shared their gold with him.  And from that day on, they lived as good neighbors should-- in peace and happiness together.    

4. 許諾傳奇

    很久很久以前，在日本有一對很窮但很誠實的老夫婦。他們有一隻小白狗，叫做許諾。這對夫婦很疼愛這隻小狗。

    有一天，這個老人在他們的菜園裡耕作。他要把菜園裡的土翻鬆，準備種蔬菜。這時候，許諾一直吠叫，還一邊扒著土。這個老人以為小狗找到了一根骨頭，便好心地停下手邊的工作，拿著鐵鍬往小狗吠叫的地方挖下去。他很吃驚地發現，鐵鍬碰到的硬物，聽起來像是金屬的東西。他就繼續往下挖，於是竟發現了一堆金幣。

    這個老人實在無法相信，他竟然有這樣的好運。因為太興奮了，雙手也在顫抖。他就把金幣收集起來，拿回家給他的妻子看。這對好心的夫婦非常高興，現在他們有錢可以買米過冬，也可以接濟他們的親朋好友了。

    他們家隔壁住著一個很狠心又貪婪的人，聽說許諾發現了金幣，就非常惱怒。他抱怨地說：「我的鄰居為什麼那麼幸運，這太不公平了！我要他們那隻討厭的小狗也幫我找一些金幣。」

    於是這個邪惡的人就到老夫婦家，要求他們把許諾借給他。他說：「許諾是一隻又乖又聽話的小狗，我希望牠到我的菜園裡找金幣，我確定牠一定能替我找到金幣的。」

    老人對他說的話感到很訝異，因為他知道這個鄰居不喜歡動物。而且，以前常常會用石頭丟許諾。但無論如何，這個好心的老人還是答應把許諾借給他，幫他找金幣。

    但是這隻小狗不願意離開牠的好心主人，尤其是這個貪婪的人曾經踢過牠一腳。但是許諾還是聽主人的話，在菜園的地上到處嗅著。過了很久，小狗什麼也沒有找到。就在那個貪婪的人不耐煩的時候，許諾叫了起來，開始在地上扒土。貪婪的人立刻把小狗推開，自己動手挖土。可是他在坑裡發現的不是金幣，而是一堆垃圾。他非常憤怒，就拿起鐵鍬毆打小狗，直到把牠打死。

    好心的老人沒有看到小狗回家，就開始擔心了。他到貪婪的鄰居家打聽許諾的下落。這個壞心的人就告訴他，許諾是一隻又笨又沒用的狗，還說：「這一隻狗對誰都沒有用，我已經用鐵鍬把牠打死了。如果你要找牠的屍體，我可以告訴你，就埋在那邊的松樹下。」他說完後，就轉身走進屋裡把門關上。

    聽到小狗被打死了，這對好心的老夫婦心裡很難過，怪罪自己不應該讓小狗到壞心的人家裡。他們帶了一束鮮花放在小狗被埋的地方，很傷心地在那裡哭起來。

    當天晚上，好心的老人做了一個夢。他夢見許諾對他說：「到我被埋的地方，把那棵樹砍下來做成米臼。然後用這個米臼磨米。」

    第二天，老人把昨晚的夢告訴他的妻子，於是他們就決定照許諾的話去做。老人的妻子對他說：「因為牠不是一隻普通的小狗，所以我認為你應該要照牠的話去做，把那棵樹砍下來做成米臼。」

    老人按照許諾的話砍下那棵松樹，把它做成米臼；然後，把米放入那個米臼裡研磨。結果，每粒被研磨過的米都變成了金幣。

    當壞心的鄰居聽到這個消息時，比上一次還要氣憤。他就到好心的夫婦家，很客氣地問他們，是不是可以把那個米臼借給他。好心的夫婦很慷慨地答應了。好心的老人對他的妻子說：「他也許是個心術不正的人，但是我們若有能力，就應該幫助他。如果我們對他仁慈，也許能夠改變他不好的行為。

    那個壞心的人一回到家，就迫不及待地拿米臼磨米。過了一會，米臼裡除粉末之外，他沒有看到任何金幣。一氣之下，他就把那個米臼丟進火堆裡燒掉了。

    當天晚上，好心的老人又夢見了許諾。這一次，小狗告訴他那個米臼的悲慘遭遇。小狗對老人說：「到米臼被燒掉的地方，取回一些灰燼。你把這些灰燼灑一點在樹上，那些樹就會立刻開花，即使現在是冬天。」

    隔天早上，老人就到隔壁那個壞心的人家裡，跟他要了一些燒米臼後的灰燼。回家後，老人就把一些灰燼灑在花園裡的櫻桃樹上。他非常訝異，櫻桃樹在瞬間就開滿了花，構成一幅相當漂亮的景色。他很喜悅地跑遍整個村子，把灰燼灑向村中的每棵樹，然後把他的朋友都叫出屋外，觀賞樹上盛開的花朵。

    對於許諾告訴他使用的米臼灰燼能產生這樣美麗的景緻，這個老人相當地高興，他開始旅行全國各地，讓每棵樹都盛開鮮花。有個日本的地方首長知道老人能讓樹木盛開鮮花，就請老人為他心愛的櫻桃樹也灑一些灰燼，讓他能看見自己的櫻桃樹盛開美麗的花朵，聞到那撲鼻的香味。他很稱讚老人的能力，並且送給他很多的禮物。

    那個壞心的鄰居聽到這個消息後，也拿了一些米臼的灰燼，跑去見那個地方首長。他對首長說：「親愛的大人，您注意看！您的櫻桃樹就要滿樹開花了！」

    那個壞心的人就灑了一些灰燼在首長心愛的桃樹上。但是樹上一朵花也沒有長出來。這時候，一陣風吹過來，把那些灰燼吹到首長的眼睛和嘴巴裡。首長相當憤怒，那個壞心的人就被首長的衛兵 打得很悽慘，最後跪在地上向首長求饒。

    壞心的人回到家後，就好像變了另一個人似的。當他遇見隔壁的好心夫婦，就對自己過去的行為感到非常抱歉。好心的老夫婦給了他一些金幣，從此，他們就成為很好的鄰居，和樂地一起生活。